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Former Congressman Billy Long, who represented Missouri for six terms, has been chosen by Trump to lead the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Long has been involved in assisting businesses in claiming a tax credit during the pandemic that has faced issues with fraud and has ended up costing the government much more than originally expected.
Written by Andrew Duehren
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On Wednesday, President-elect Donald J. Trump announced his intention to nominate Billy Long, a former congressman from Missouri, to be in charge of the Internal Revenue Service. This decision indicates his plan to remove the current leader of the IRS, who was appointed by Biden.
Following his defeat in a Senate primary in 2022, Mr. Long promoted a tax credit introduced during the pandemic that has been heavily exploited by fraudsters, resulting in the government losing billions more than anticipated. Efforts have been made by lawmakers to eliminate this tax credit, with the I.R.S. temporarily halting the processing of claims to identify and reject any false applications.
During a podcast interview in 2023, Mr. Long talked about his efforts in assisting businesses in claiming the Employee Retention Tax Credit. He mentioned that up to that point, neither he nor his team had faced any denials from the tax agency regarding these claims. The Employee Retention Tax Credit was established by Congress and former President Trump in 2020 as a way to encourage businesses to continue paying their employees during the economic shutdown.
He explained that they don’t sneak anyone through the process, but rather ensure that they do meet the qualifications to receive a refund from the IRS with interest.
President Trump made a significant decision to change the leadership of the IRS, which comes at a crucial time. The Biden administration has invested a large amount of money to update the agency and strengthen its efforts to collect taxes. This is aimed at enhancing customer service and combatting tax evasion.
President Biden selected Daniel Werfel in 2022 to head the I.R.S. transformation. Werfel, a former consultant and government official who has experience in both Democratic and Republican administrations, was appointed to serve until 2027.
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